Out of the Woods

Fifteen Years Ago

“Is Caleb still coming over?” Win asks between herculean spoonfuls of cereal. “I asked to use his laptop for my assignment,” she says, her mouth full as milk streams off her chin.

“You’re disgusting,” I reply, shutting the fridge door. “But yeah. He’ll be here soon.”

“When are you going to get a rich boyfriend with a computer?” Aunt June teases her daughter, tossing a piece of her crust at her from across the table as I pour myself orange juice.

“Maybe when her tits finally come in,” I add on, smiling cruelly as Win glares my way.

“Girls!” my mother yells, clearly agitated, from down the hall. All three of us freeze, sheepishly looking toward her as she appears from around the corner. “Have you seen my wallet?” I shake my head. “Shit…June? My wallet?” she asks frantically, turning toward the dining table.

“My pickpocketing days are behind me,” my aunt mindlessly replies into her mug of steaming coffee.

“Fuck! I’ve searched everywhere twice.” Mom drops her bag onto the counter with a loud thud. “I cannot afford to replace all of my stuff right now. I don’t have time for this!”

My mother rarely curses and when she does, it takes the oxygen out of the room. Win and I exchange giddy, anticipatory glances at her use of colorful language.

“All right, well…” Mom says, her voice firm as she scans our faces and pinches the bridge of her nose. “We’ll pray to St. Anthony.” None of us move, staring at her blankly. “Now, please!”

“Not you,” Aunt June says, waving a flippant hand toward Win. “You’re Protestant.”

“I am?” Win asks, before shoving more cereal into her mouth. “Since when?”

“This is an all-hands-on-deck situation! C’mon!” Mom falls to her knees and crosses herself.

When Caleb walks in five minutes later after a polite knock signaling his arrival, we’re all on our knees with our hands clasped in front of our chests. Without hesitation, he calmly shuts the door, removes his shoes, drops his backpack, and slowly lowers himself to the ground next to me. “What’s happened?” he whispers, wearing a hesitant, curious pout.

“Nothing bad…just a lost wallet,” I reply, trying to signal for him to lower his voice.

“Hush!” my mother snaps, then does the sign of the cross, as if she has to start all over again.

“We’re praying to St. Anthony,” I somewhat explain, quieter this time. Caleb nods, then assumes the position, though he certainly isn’t familiar with the patron saint of lost things. Or any of the others for that matter. Minutes go by before I catch him peeking at me with a mischievous grin and I have to glare back athim.

Half a second later, Aunt June breaks the prayer-filled silence by asking, “Mars, did you check the car?”

Mom opens her mouth to argue, then closes it just as quickly. Then later, she’s slipping out the front door. When she comes back wearing an apologetic grin with her wallet in hand, we all burst into laughter.

“False alarm, Anthony….” I mutter under my breath as Caleb helps me stand with an outstretched hand. He locks his fingers with mine, then runs his thumb up the side of my wrist.

“Missed you,” he says softly, pushing up his glasses with his free hand.

“It’s been like one day,” Win mocks as she digs through Caleb’s backpack for his laptop.

“I missed you too. Sorry for…” I hold his soft eye contact. “All of them.”

“I like it. My family is hardly ever all in the same room,” he tellsme.

“Well, we don’t have many other rooms,” I jest.

“Still.” He shrugs.

Win pats his shoulder before taking his laptop over to the dining table. “Thanks, loverboy!”

“You’re going to need my password,” he tells Win, squeezing my hand just once before he drops it and follows after her.

I hadn’t noticed my mom standing by the door, hovering before she slips out for the day. We smile at each other, more like friends than parent and kid, and she winks at me. I can practically hear her thoughts: He’s a good one.

I agree, I reply silently.